The subject invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for packaging containers which typically include a body portion and relatively small neck portion. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for forming a package of the type described in Ser. No. 47,436 filed June 11, 1979, now abandoned.
Typical methods and apparatus for making multipackages have utilized a wide variety of techniques. A particularly effective technique for multipackaging can-type containers utilizes a rotating drum for continuously applying a strip stock of plastic material having a plurality of apertures over the chimes of such can-type containers as they are fed beneath the drum. Other techniques of producing a multipackage of containers involve the wrapping of paper or cardboard about the plurality of containers or the firm envelopment of a plurality of containers with a film of plastic by passing the containers to be packaged through a series of stations, including a heat shrinking applicating station where the containers are draped with the material to form the package, and then passed through an oven which heats the plastic material shrinking the same and creating a utilized package. Another technique of packaging bottle-like containers includes the use of top engaging clips snapped over the tops of the bottles to utilize the package while creating a means to handle the package.
A further manner of multipackaging bottle devices involves placing a band of plastic material about a plurality of bottles in addition to the placing of a top gripping strip of plastic over the tops to resiliently secure the tops together. A typical apparatus of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,756. In this device, the array or clusters of containers to be packaged are passed beneath a series of heads which are adapted to reciprocate toward and away from the cluster to place a band about the array. After the band is associated with the array the semifinished package then is moved to a subsequent station which incorporates the top engaging carrier device. While this technique and resulting package somewhat resembles the technique of the present invention, it should be understood that such a prior art technique does involve stop and start elements of motion and requires separate stations to apply a top gripping carrier device.